Santa's Naughty Helpers

by Elizabeth Knox

  “I’m glad she didn’t cause Dasher to cheat.”

  “Same. I should go get ready,” I kiss her cheek and head up to my old room.

  Before getting ready I stand in the center and take in my room. Probably Dasher’s room as well. Everything in here holds a memory about us. From Easter egg hunts, to homecoming. My prom roses dried and hanging above my bed.

  Trinkets of our time together, even movie stubs.

  I never wanted to let go.

  “Hey,” I hear his voice.

  I turn around and he’s here.

  “You.”

  “Me.”

  “I still don’t really get it, Dash.”

  “Can we sit?” He gestures to the bed.

  I sit and wait for him to explain.

  “I started using weed. A guy at work was smoking it outside and I took a hit and started craving it. It started out as every once in a while. Your sister was selling some and I bought a couple blunts. I needed something to relax, just to escape. Instead it was something else, more addictive. I’m not sure what was laced in it. One hit and I needed more. I needed it so much that I was draining my account, stopped going to work. And I lied.

  “And because I stopped going to work, I was fired. I didn’t know how I was going to tell you. We had been fighting and I didn’t want to upset you more.

  “The worst part is that the day I was fired I found myself at a bar, drinking my life away. I went outside and smoked the last of what I had, the stuff your sister sold me. I was drunk and high. Your sister showed and I thought it was you. I left with her. I don’t know where we were. I didn’t know what I was doing until I woke up the next morning.”

  “You didn’t sleep with her,” I say.

  “What?”

  “Angel confessed to my parents that she made you think you did. It was just her way of bringing more pain.”

  “I didn’t sleep with her?”

  “No. But you could have talked to me. I know we were fighting, but we were a team.”

  “I know and I fucked up. I want to fix this.”

  “I understand why you did what you did. I just wished you would have talked to me.”

  “Sweetheart, I wasn’t in my right mind when I showed up here and let you go. I didn’t want you to see me as I detoxed. I don’t even know what was in those blunts. It wasn’t just weed. I was messed up.”

  I can get that.

  “Three years, Dash,” I whisper.

  “I know, sweetheart, I know. I plan to spend every day making it up to you,” he reaches for my hand as tears slide down my cheek.

  “Why now?”

  “Because it’s time to do what I should have done before my life went to shit, put a ring on it,” he chuckles.

  “How are you affording all these things? You said you were broke.”

  “I technically was. What little I had left I invested. With the help of our fathers and Claus, I now have more money than I know what to do with.”

  “You bought me a block.”

  “I did. I always wanted you to succeed. I think at the time I was jealous because my life was spiraling. But I want you to expand and open your dream café.”

  “I don’t know what to say.”

  “Have you even opened the box?”

  I shake my head.

  “Where is it?”

  I hand it to him. He pockets it as he stands, pulling me to his chest and kisses me.

  I haven’t been kissed in so long, last time was him.

  “Still taste like peppermint,” he whispers into my hair.

  I nod.

  “Get dressed. See you downstairs. I’ll be waiting.”

  I know it seems like I’ve forgiven him easily, but love makes us do crazy things. I know what my answer will be.

  Chapter Nineteen

  Dasher

  I think she will say yes, but I’m still a bundle of nerves.

  “Here,” Claus hands me a beer. I stay away from pills or drugs of any kind. I drink beer in moderation. One is enough for me.

  “Thanks.”

  “So, what’s your plan?”

  I nod toward the backyard, where the treehouse is decked out with lights as are the trees. Our dads put in a pergola and our moms decorated it with flowers and fairy lights.

  It’s going to be perfect.

  “Ah.”

  “I’ll do it after appetizers, let everyone get something to eat and drink,” I say right as she comes down the stairs.

  And holy fuck. She’s a vision.

  I picked out the dress with her in mind but seeing it on her is different.

  “Shit,” Claus mumbles.

  “She’s gorgeous,” Star murmurs.

  “Oh my,” Mom gasps.

  She locks eyes with me and I can’t look away. I don’t want to.

  And she shocks me when she actually comes right to me.

  “Hi,” she says awkwardly.

  “Hi. You look beautiful,” I breathe.

  “Thank you. I think I should make some rounds. Join me?”

  Who am I to say no?

  I hold her hand as she talks with guests and laughs with old friends. I do the same when we talk about times past. No one even asks why we are joined at the hip, almost like three years ago never happened.

  After talking with our parents, it’s time.

  “Hey, everyone, sorry to interrupt, but I need to ask this pretty girl a question. Three years is a long time. I have some things to make up for. I won’t bore you. Noelle,” I gesture to the back yard.

  I lead her out to the pergola. She gasps when she sees the yard. Our parents outdid themselves. I’m grateful for their blessings.

  I look at Star who starts some music. A particular song, Old Dominion’s ‘One Man Band’. And that gets some chuckles since it’s not Christmas music.

  It’s her favorite song.

  “Noelle, I want you to know that I love you with every fiber of my body, heart, and soul. I can’t say sorry enough. But I’m hoping you will let me do that from this day forward. I can’t live another day without you in my life. And I should have trusted myself to confide in you in the past, I won’t make that mistake again. When the storm gets rough there is no one else I’d rather have at my side than you. Please say you’ll be my Christmas present this year,” I get down on one knee and open the box.

  “Dasher.”

  “It’s your ring, but bigger. I want the world to know that you are mine. When we get married, I’m tattooing your name all over my body just to let people know you are the one that holds my heart. Please say yes.”

  She has tears streaming down her face. I take a chance and see most of the women do.

  “There hasn’t been anyone else. When you left it was hard for me, you broke me. But these last few days, the hole is starting to fill back up. I don’t want anyone else but you. So, yes, Dash, I will marry you.”

  I slide the ring on her finger as the guests clap and cheer.

  Our dads approach us.

  “We’re sorry for keeping this a secret from you,” my dad tells her.

  “We thought it was the best thing for both of you. We were wrong,” her dad says.

  “I forgive you both,” she says as she hugs them.

  “Oh, Noelle. I was serious about a Christmas wedding.”

  “That isn’t enough time,” she objects.

  “That’s what family is for,” Star says, linking arms with her.

  “And I have already pulled up flowers and dresses for you to look at,” her mom says.

  “And we have our big back yard already set up for it to be decorated,” my mom says.

  “I can’t believe you would do this for me,” she mumbles.

  “We want you to have a happy ending and a Merry Christmas. Besides, he won’t ever forget your anniversary,” her mom side eyes her dad.

  “It was one time, the first year. I think we should be past that,” he huffs as we all laugh.

  “The guests are gone for the
evening, shall we look at some things or start fresh tomorrow?” my mom asks.

  “Can we start tomorrow? I want to show my girl her new place,” I tell them, taking her hand and leading her to the car, making sure her dress doesn’t get snagged in the door.

  I drive in silence until I pull into the driveway. And it dawns on her.

  “You built this?”

  “I did, well, I had it built.”

  “It’s the place,” she breathes.

  When we were in high school, she drew her dream home one day when we were hanging out and I saved it. I started having this built as soon as I was out of rehab.

  Four rooms, sunken living room. Hardwood floor, rock walls, waterfall shower. Huge antique tub for two.

  I let her in the door and she takes off her heels and starts walking around.

  Kitchen island, top of the line appliances.

  Deck outside with a pool, built in grill. There is even a TV with a fireplace outside.

  I have a koi pond toward the back of the yard where she can do her yoga and meditation.

  “Dasher, it’s beautiful,” she says.

  “It’s ours,” I pull her close and kiss her, savoring each second I can touch her.

  “Thank you,” she says.

  “How about I get you some sweats and a t-shirt and we can watch some movies?”

  “I’d like that,” she follows me to the bedroom.

  “I do have one question.”

  “What’s that?” I reply.

  “What was all that stuff with setting up shop across from me?”

  “It kind of backfired but I was hoping you would out do me. Meaning make your café bigger and better. You are now since you own the building. I want to help with that though.”

  “You do?”

  “I do. I know you won’t like this, but I already wrote a check to Claus to start doing the renovations.”

  “Does that make you a silent partner?”

  “My money is your money now. I only want to make you happy.”

  “I don’t know what to say, Dasher. I feel like it’s too much.”

  “It’s not enough, Noelle. I love you and only want you to be you, but happy.”

  “Thank you,” she kisses my cheek.

  I lead her up the stairs and into the bedroom. I know she will love it.

  The bed is suspended, like a hammock. It doesn’t move much, but she always wanted one.

  “Oh my,” she says.

  “Just like you wanted,” I tell her.

  “I can’t believe you remembered,” she replies.

  While she changes, I pull out the box which holds those memories. I have pictures to hang, but I’ll let her decide where those go.

  “Dash?”

  “I kept these from when we were kids. These are what kept me focused in rehab.” I pull off my shirt to show her the tattoo.

  “Is that mine?”

  “It is. I mean it when I say forever, Noelle.”

  “I’m starting to believe, Santa,” she smiles.

  This is the best day of my life.

  Chapter Twenty

  Noelle

  Christmas Day

  The last couple of weeks have been a whirlwind of activity. Claus started expanding. He found a construction crew to knock out walls.

  Thanks to Dasher, the café is slowly coming together. He helped me pick out new tables and tablecloths. I know that sounds trivial, but we did it together.

  Star still runs the little trinket shop and will keep it open after Christmas. It’s done quite well. I’m her best customer.

  Dasher had shelves installed in the spare rooms for all my trinkets and statues.

  I love my wedding dress. It’s custom made, present from my parents. Even though it was last minute, the woman did a great job.

  It’s white, A-line, sweetheart neckline, plain on the front. It’s the back that’s beautiful. The dress has a train and embroidered on it is a huge poinsettia, bright red with green leaves. It’s my favorite part of the dress.

  My bouquet is white and red roses with holly weaved in.

  Star is in a bright green dress, standing in as my maid of honor.

  “You look beautiful,” my mom sweeps my hair off my neck to help with the necklace Dash gave me for the party.

  “Thank you. And thank you for supporting this,” I tell her.

  “It was always fated for you two to be together. And I get to watch my daughter get married on my favorite holiday,” she beams.

  I roll my eyes as she chuckles.

  After the wedding, we will open Christmas presents. We all decided to do a joint one this year. There is no room in the living room to walk. I don’t know how we’re going to do it, but we will manage somehow.

  His parents decided to do matching pajamas as the theme this year.

  Dasher and I picked out reindeer ones, a play on his name. They’re cute and everyone will get a chuckle out of them.

  And then after that, we will take our honeymoon to Mallorca, Spain.

  I hear it’s where a British dating show is filmed, but that’s not why I want to go. The beautiful beaches. It might be a little chilly, but we are doing this.

  “Ready?”

  “I’m ready.” I take my mom’s hand and Star’s and we head downstairs to meet my dad who will walk me down the aisle to my future husband.

  Chapter Twenty-One

  Dasher

  “Here’s to marriage,” Claus and I clink shot glasses together.

  Mine is cider. I don’t want to be drunk on my wedding night.

  “This is it, man, the final frontier,” Claus laughs.

  “Did you just quote Star Trek?”

  “I did.”

  “Nerd,” I chuckle.

  “It’s time, son,” my dad says, clapping me on the back.

  This is it.

  We take our places and I wave at Briar and Kingston. They have a Christmas party tonight so I was glad they could make it since Briar was my biggest cheerleader.

  The music starts. She picked ‘The First Noel’ as her wedding march. I didn’t care what she picked as long as she walked down the aisle.

  She’s breathtaking in her dress. I almost want to cry.

  “Treat her right,” her dad says as he puts her hand in mine.

  “I promise I will,” I tell him.

  “Ready?”

  “I’m ready.”

  “Dearly beloved . . .”

  I drown out the preacher as I stare at the beauty in front of me.

  “Dash? Rings?” I snap out of it when Claus taps my shoulder, Noelle giggles.

  “I do,” I tell the preacher.

  I hear her say I do and then the next thing I hear, “I now pronounce you man and wife.”

  I don’t even wait for you may kiss your bride, I just pick her up and do just that. A searing kiss I can feel in my soul.

  Clapping and cheering happen and I just grin.

  I married my best friend, on our favorite holiday.

  “Thank you, Dash,” she says.

  “For what?”

  “For the Santa stalking. Secret Santa restored my love of the holiday and that was you.”

  “My pleasure, sweetheart.”

  “Merry Christmas, Dasher,” she kisses me again.

  “Merry Christmas, Noelle.”

  I lied, her saying yes wasn’t the best day of my life. It’s when she said yes on our wedding day

  I’d never be here if it wasn’t for me taking a chance on being her secret Santa.

  Best Christmas ever.

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